China is working on a homegrown OS to replace current US solutions

The government of China could launch its own PC desktop operating system sometime in October which could later be extended to smartphones and tablets, in a bid to compete with rival overseas systems from Microsoft, Google and Apple.

The government controlled Chinese news agency Xinhua quoted Ni Guangnan, the leader of China's official OS development alliance, as saying, "We hope to launch a Chinese-made desktop operating system by October supporting app stores." He added that their domestic OS could replace current desktop systems in one to two years, and could do the same for the mobile market in three to five years.

Details of how this Chinese OS will differ from the many Western operating systems are not known at this point. However, China clearly doesn't want to rely on operating systems that are coming from the US. A few months ago, the government announced it would not use Microsoft's current Windows 8 operating system on its PCs due to both security and energy use concerns.

What do you think of China's plans to create its own operating system and could it eventually lock out Western-made software?

Well ask Americans and 80% of the world using systems that are owned by companies on paper but run by USA government and cooperations for a fact. How do you think the government spies on you?

Well China is just doing same thing without the illusion part that makes you believe it isnt government controlled. Atleast if Chinese people are being watched, better your own government than a foreign one.

Huge difference: even under the current US adminstration, which is probably the most aggressive at going against its political enemies of any administration since FDR, they don't censor or jail you based on your thoughts or beliefs. China is a totalitarian regime. Say the "wrong" thing there and go to jail or worse. And "wrong" is not defined by the will of the people, by political correctness, or by any other standards other than what's best for protecting the interests of the Chinese Communist party. To compare China to the US, or any democracy for that matter, is a horrible mischaracterization of the Chinese government.

Nonsense! The difference between chinese government and the american government is as the difference between an organised crime syndicate and any random street gang. One I more organised than the other and use an illusion of a moral standard to justify themselves but at the end of the day its same thing. Chinese government take out any opposition they feel threatened by, and you think the american government doesnt take out an opposition when they feel threatened? Only difference is american government look for a big word and a scandal to justify it and make it as pleasing as possible to the eyes and ears but chinese government skips all that process. But in the end its all the same old story with both.

Absolutely the US government (nor any democratic government) doesn't take out any opposition. They may use muscle and bribes with other countries, but that's a far, far cry from jailing or killing your own citizens for opposing government policy. I can say right here or anyplace else with zero concern of reprisal that I think Obama is a feckless fool who is making huge global mistakes leading to increased terorrism and putting lives around the planet at risk. In fact, half the members of Congress do that every day. And the other half did it when Bush was President. And that's a good thing on both sides -- it assures that the government never gets too uppity. The US Constitution is the ruling entity in the US, not any individual, or group of people, and certainly not a group of self-appointed totalitarian communists.

Well, the goal is never a justification for bad methods (ends don't justify the means), so that's like saying the only difference between murderers and doctors is how they get to dead bodies.

Goal of US government and other democracies: what's best for our country and its citizens, or at worst, what will our voters think is best for them so they'll vote for us again.

Goal of a totalitarian regime: what's best for the individuals in power

There is a common thread in that invidiuals in both are looking out for what's best for them, but in a democracy, where they have to face their local constituents and win elections, it's a lot more likely to be in sync with what's best for the citizens.

Further, in China, the government can go ahead and imprison, turture, and kill its citizens to further the power of the individuals in charge. That does not happen in the US, nor, do I think, in any modern democracy. The US is particularly proofed against that with the "innocent until proven guilty" standard (not all democracies share that judicial process).

I agree 100%. 200% if you're a black American. You have the freedom to be shot and killed. You have the freedom to say anything you like - so long as you only say it inside the jail you've ben in most of your life. Freedom! Isn't it wonderful.

Racist BS. The only Americans who would consider that true are the race baiters who earn a living by promoting racism and telling blacks that they can't succeed without help because of evil white people and the small handfull of brainwashed victims who buy into their tripe (literally, which is the funding that keeps the race baiters doing it).

I agree with Rawliglat x.....if you think the US are any western nations are democracies u are seriously deluded. All political parties have the same agenda and serve the same interests....sure they may differ on a few issues giving sheeple like u enough reason to vote and perpetuate the sham democracy; but the overall scheme is the same. The only difference between the west and china is that the former is more sophisticated in how its 'democracy' is imposed. The US is the most draconian police surveillance state in the world and don't mistake the fact that you can spew your views on a meager forum gives you 'freedom'.

Sorry, but that's just absurd. The political parties do not have the same goals, and they further vary wildly from country to coutry. I live in a state (NH) with the largest per-person representation in the world. Most of us in the state personally know multiple elected officials or have been elected officials on our small towns. They are not paid much, so for elected officials here, with a few exceptions (e.g., governer) it's a part time job, meaning we are less likely to have a political class. But (and for that same reason) we are also one of the states with a huge say in who becomes president of the US every 4 years, as the first primary vote in the country.

But even that is all less important than the simple fact that there are huge philosophical differences between different parties (in the US, this even includes debate over the very purpose of government). And in countries with many parties, those parties are even more specific about their positions on issues (only having 2 serious parties in the US does moderate them to a point).

China has 1 party and it has no need to serve the people, short of not being so abusive that en masse they rise up in revolt. China jails, tortures, and kills its citizens for political disagreement. No democracy does that.

Freedom starts with the ability to think and believe what you want, and proceeds immediately to the ability to speak your mind, especially on political and philosophical issues. Is a democracy perfect and completely free from corrupt individuals reaching positions of power? No. Do their courts and police sometimes make mistakes that hurt the innocent? Yes. But those are a tiny, tiny price to pay for freedom. And yes, I have freedom.

If Microsoft do sue, it is most likely nothing will come out of it. Whomever they sue - even if it is a private company - will receive Chinese government backing (i.e. the government, along with company x, will deny any wrongdoing) and no legal action will be taken. This sort of thing has happened before with car companies such as BMW; it's designs were blatantly copied, but it couldn't get anything to stick and eventually they had to drop the case.

Yes, I'm sure MS keeps all of there code in a communist country. Aw hell, what we need Redmond fer? We got us China to stash our codes so no one from Cupertino finds it...sounds like a Bevis and D-Bag conversation.

actually if we see how China government runs, China is NOT a communist country... it's just a nice label they have, but only because they are "Communist Party of China" it doesn't make them communist.
not like it matters probably to you, but I am just saying it, so maybe people around here, like you, will not call China "communist" anymore.

Right? Now why in the heck would anyone buy a government made system let alone just in China? They create all the hardware and crap to spy on our country already! (USA). I think both China and USA need to stop being so narsasistic

The spying is bad, sure, but I hope you're not suggesting that a Communist totalitarian regime that jails, tortures, or kills its people for publicly or even privately stating disagreement with government policy is in any way comparable to a country that is simply, at worst, over-agressive and bullying in looking out the for the interests of its own people abroad.

bullshit. China government wants to build a system based on linux with nothing to do with windows. and they have made some systems already. this time for xp is not offered for them it's a good chance to spread their own. And they raid ms's office for suspection of monopoly just like what ms get in europe. how do you think MS would give codes to the gov for a survey about monopoly? and win8 or apple products are only baned from gov offices, which i think is thier right just like some company asking employees to use blackberry in old days.

It's not an Asian thing or even a Chinese People thing -- Taiwan (Chinese people), South Korea and Japan, for example, all do great work and have built great companies. This is a problem with a totalitarian communist regime in China.

Though I'm Chinese,I would still disdain this official so-called Chinese made OS. I'm almost certain that it will be nothing but another copycat rubbish, wasting we taxpayers' money, just think about the COS not long ago. To be frank I will definitely stick to MS, even using pirated Windows systems.

I'd say that's over doing it. "For both security and energy concerns"? I don't see all the other countries using win 8 getting their power plants dried up by using a win PC. Let them make the OS and god save the world

My mom works in the Chinese government and she said a few months ago that the central government had sent out a prohibition, banning all computers in any department using Windows 8, for the reason that "Windows 8 had severe security loopholes". So in the government offices there's no Windows 8 computer, and most of them even still running Windows XP.

No wonder why it's a slow economy. Win XP? Seriously? I don't even remember the last time I saw it let alone use it. And are the other countries like Germany, England,USA such fools to use win8 for their govt operations? There was an article recently in wpcentral saying Germany fell back to using win 8 from Linux again as it offered more functionality and security.

It's a false economy. Germany tried something similar and then abandoned the project. They'd be better off just using an open source Linux distro without modification if they have privacy concerns, that way they can see any way of circumventing security for themselves.

Oh the same government who defended their own car companies when they blatantly copied the designs from Ford, Bmw, Land rover, Rolls Royce, Mini and more then tells those companies in their faces that the design have no similarities? Don't be surprised to see a windows clone.

To be fair, it is definitely normal for any country to develop something that does not rely on foreign country. And it help the development of IT industry.
Btw, why can't Europe develop something competitive enough to the USA?

How about just using the best solution, and let the markets reward whoever comes up with it, instead of treating each country as an isolated island? That would create an incentive to provide great solutions that customers want and allow each person and company to focus on whatever it is that they do best, instead of wasting resources making another OS. Oh wait, that would be capitalism.

Picture North Korea, with its own flavor of Linux, which, by the way, now looks like a Mac OS poorly cloned. China will obviously rely on Linux for desktop and AOSP for mobile. The way the government meant it, it's a step back, since they're not on this for competition, but pure repulse for US offers.

I'm as anti-Chinese gov't on this issue as anyone, but I don't think banning their products is right either. At worst, match their tariffs and requirements for products imported, but ultimately, let the free markets choose the products it wants.

Ok let me tell u something to all chinese and the rest of the world.. This is all about chinese economy..

Everyone knows that china overtook USA this quarter in Export business meaning they are gaining markets and no one can ban chinese product cuz china is a natural resource rich country and every silica is from china.

In china Exports are more than imports which will automatically booms their economy.

And lets see where chinese government looses their money.. Its mostly software services and products. So to build their economy they need to have their software services and products. which will leads to less imports and minimise the loss of money

As long as Microsoft and Apple are there in china no people will try chinese own OS.. so here comes the economy play.. since users are need to build a stable OS, ban the products which is from other countries and let the people use chinese own OS.

Actually this economy strategy resulted a great turnover to china.

For eg: Google over Baidu,

youtube over yoku.

whatsapp over wechat(wechat is second largest im today according to user base and is used other asian countries too)

so now take on the big brothers.. so that china wont need to pay millions of dollars for software services and products and also it will improve chinese job oppurtunities.

after 10 or 20 years china will have there own everything and will take on US.. as US has debt with china, it can make US to go in the verge of bankrupt.

Also after 30 years as USA, china will provide their software servies and products for less price with assurance no spying activity for less price.. ofcourse everyone loves cheap and organisation do the same and thats why US software jobs are outsourced to India.

So for China it will be lesser import of goods and Greater Export. Economy boom.

So Chinese people accpet this strategy for brighter future and to be a goblal super power.. To others esp USA guys beware of your jobs.. you may be working under chinese organisation

Totally agree with your point. Chinas main mission is to stay away from all countries build their own empire. This is pure politics. And I we try to sue them relations will spoil more with other products made in there.

yeah..this is the way to minimise imports and boom economy and also you know Baidu(search engine) is listed in NASDAQ means they are getting US people money(globalisation) and they has user base in USA too.. This is one of the way to export software service and products once it attains maturiy

That may well be the motivation, but it shows either a profound lack of understanding of economics or a desire to simply enrich the Chinese government at the expense of its people.

Just like it is good for other countries to build in China because China is cost-effective at building (frankly, due to cheap labor, as the gov't keeps the currency value low, lowering the standard of living of its people by preventing the yuan from appreciating), and so it saves them money to do so, it can be good for China to buy an OS made in another country. It doesn't hurt either country to buy from another. On the contrary, it allows for greater specialization and better overall resource allocation globally. The only beneficiary to forced in-country purchases is the goverment power structure, because they have the authority to determine what qualifies as acceptable when made in their own country. Further, in this case, it is likely the intent of the Chinese government to build control and monitoring capabilities into the OS, so they can also continue their practice of jailing, torturing, and executing people who disagree with it politically.

The Chinese government is not comparable to the US or other democratically elected governments. It does not serve the people, it serves itself.

Dude you are getting the fact wrong.. preventing the yuan from appreciating.. is like their own saying "attack the enemy where he is not appearing" they will take up all the production lineup from USA.. Look at the stats in gadgets.. in top 5 gadget OEMs 3 are chinese.. only one is USA - Apple(which is manufactured in china mostly except mac lineup now)..

Its like gather the energy and unleash the power once you are condifident to take on the enemy. (Everything in economy not as war)

To the people of China, its actually a good thing.. Most People dont care what government do.. they need only job.. as far as they have jobs they wont go against government.. And china government provided the jobs by promoting domestic organisation.

preventing the yuan from appreciating will make more jobs cuz world needs only cheap labours.. but survey says that india is cheaper than chinese :P

preventing the yuan from appreciating... how??They are inversting in USA treasury dude. USA has 1.3 trillion debts to china. 1.3 trillion is not small amount.. which is actually BAD for USA economy

Just think about the unemployment rate in USA. Its increasing cuz of outsourcing..

Country like China with such population cant provide jobs to everyone and what they can do is supporting domestic homegrown things which will inturn increase job oppurtunities unlike USA(outsourcing) Thats it from me..

I don't think you understand about currency values. Preventing the yuan from appreciating means that 1 yuan buys less than it otherwise could in terms of international goods. It makes imports more expensive and exports cheaper (to foreigners). That reduces choices to the Chinese people by making all international options artificially more expensive.

A free market for currencies allows will see countries who are doing well have their currency increase in value, which allows that country to buy more goods from other countries -- those who are not doing so well. This in turn brings more money into those countries, which helps re-boost their currencies. It's a great global system that worsk fine as long as the all the major participants are following the same rules (smaller participants can't really break it).

There is a benefit to the Chinese people, which is that there are more jobs, but in a country with a 7%-10% growth rate, creating jobs through artificially depressed wages is not a positive thing. Let the wages rise, let the people prosper -- all of them, not just the friends of the government. No, the policy depresses the standard of living of the average Chinese citizen.

And, as you have pointed out, it assumes there is some form of economic warfare. The problem is that no one else is fighting. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, China is just another trading partner. We're happy to buy from China if it's a good product or a good price. But to the Chinese government, for one country to make money, another must lose. Standard communist limited-pie nonsense. Just to cite nearby neigbors, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea all prospered and grew quickly with free market currencies. They are still far, far wealthier than China on a per capita basis. And the path that China is taking (focus on what's good for the government, rather than its people), that will never change.

Security and energy concerns, absolute rubbish, china loves to control rather than be controlled. They won't care what's going on outside their own country once they have their own OS in place, how many millions of users are there in china ? Do the math ? Single finger to the good old U S of A I'm afraid and the Chinese are gonna love that....

That's y I never wanted Microsoft to sell that Chennai plant in India. Microsoft is very much respected in south of India and getting that plant would have got us rid away from china with many things too.

Interesting. Russia are going the same way, even to the point of trying to move away from Western computer chips and architecture. There is an irony in that they do this over fears of spying whilst concertedly spying themselves.

Are we going to ban Lenovo?

This tit for tat - how will this affect consumers, not to mention anyone with a dissenting voice in China. Hmmmm....

Lol. First thing they do after they get their own OS released is to make it against the law to use any other OS. China will claim anyone not using their OS as a traitor to the empire - I mean "republic" - and throw them in a gulag - I mean prison... - for the rest of their natural life.

China is the only place that can do this and succeed. Because they can actually enforce this, and the people will comply. They have no choice. When stripped of choice and voice, any kind of mass control is possible.

They already have plenty of forked Android versions going around as "mobile OS" oppo has its own, so does meizu and xiaomi.
If you look at any Chinese website you'll see 40% of the screen donated by flashy banners of ads. Not to mention the whole Chinese government spying and filtering content.
China is not known for original designs, that's the forte of the Japanese and Koreans. So the so called"own operating system" is likely to be forked android with a mess of an interface, and ads popping in from all directions.
I think 3 distinct operating systems are enough(blackberry lost that the day it added official support for android apps)
And this is unlikely going to impact the devices manufactured in China which are not meant for local market

Good for the Chinese. I'm sure their concerns for security are legitimate. Who wants software from companies with close ties to the US spy regime. At least we can be sure the Chinese wont invade anyone.